Twitter
Facebook
Known as a chance for shoppers, U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s Spring Bazaar takes place today to Sunday at the Special Events Center on Rhine Ordnance Barracks.
“(It’s) a chance for people who are about to leave to get their last European treasures to take back home,” said Gudrun Schuler-Heilman, the garrison’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation financial management chief, who has been organizing bazaars for more than 15 years. “It’s also a chance for those who just got here to see what is available.”
About 100 international vendors will be at this year’s Spring Bazaar.
“They will be selling a variety of European goods, typically those items that Europe-stationed service members like to take back home such as jewelry, porcelain, rugs, antiques, heavy Belgium furniture, oil and military paintings, cutlery, pots and pans, purses, gloves, Easter decorations, pewter,” Ms. Schuler-Heilman said.
Garrison bazaars – five throughout the year – are sponsored by the garrison’s FMWR, which means proceeds generated go back into the directorate’s budget. These proceeds are used as reinvestments into family facilities and programs.
Family friendly is one of the goals of the garrison’s bazaars, Ms. Schuler-Heilman said.
One way the bazaar is family friendly is by offering wide walkways for strollers and a large tent with tables and benches outside for eating or just resting. Also outside for families are a carousel, bouncy castle and petting zoo, which are all free.
Another family friendly idea was to have a mobile ATM available as a convenience to shoppers, Ms. Schuler-Heilman said.
“People like to pay for smaller purchases with cash and now they can right there at the bazaar,” she said.
Volunteers are mostly needed from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to assist with event breakdown, said Billie Burgard, the garrison’s FMWR budget assistant, who has been in charge of bazaar volunteers for about five years.
The Bazaar operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The event is open to all U.S. and NATO ID cardholders, and shoppers must present proper identification at the entrance.
The next USAG-K bazaar will be the Mother’s Day mini-bazaar held April 26 to 29 at Heaton Hall in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The mini bazaar will feature about 12 vendors.
